A Christmas Gift
by Orla
Summary: Set after the events of the Ranma 1/2 Special: Tendo Family Christmas Scramble, this fic provides a happy ending for Ryoga and maybe the start of something new...


Ranma 1/2: A Christmas Gift  
by Orla  
***   
  
Set directly after the events in the Ranma 1/2 special:   
Tendo Family Christmas Scramble.   
  
Ranma 1/2 is copyright to Rumiko Takahashi - or Takahashi   
Rumiko for all the nitpickers - I am not making a profit   
from this, so don't sue me, I have nothing!   
  
***   
  
Ryoga Hibiki stood disconsolately in the empty dojo listening   
to laughter coming from outside. He slumped further against   
the wall, his eyes fixed on the beautifully wrapped gift in   
his hands.   
  
*She didn't even see me.* he thought *She ran straight past   
me. She went to Ranma.*   
  
Tears welled up in the lost boy's eyes and dripped onto the   
bright wrapping.   
  
*Oh, Akane... *   
  
Up until then it had been such a wonderful night. Okay, so   
there had been some minor hiccups, that Kuno was such an   
idiot sometimes, well, _most_ of the time! However, as Ryoga   
had said to Mousse the happy atmosphere at the Tendos, despite   
the chaos and the presense of Ranma, had filled Ryoga with a   
warmth he had barely known. Then all the fun of the party   
itself, the games, the food, and the performances, Ryoga had   
loved it. Finally he gathered up his courage and stood, ready   
to give his beloved Akane his Christmas gift to her, and maybe,   
just maybe, to tell her his true feelings. But...   
  
*Akane, I chose this gift so carefully, I knew you would like   
it.*   
  
He just stood there when she ran past, his heart cracking.   
No one had cared, asked him if he was alright. Then Akane   
and Ranma fell through the roof and he was ready to join   
in the fray trying to get at Ranma, letting anger overtake   
his sadness. But the release of tension was denied when the   
lights went out. Now everyone was outside laughing, Akane   
and Ranma were together and Ryoga was...   
  
"Alone." Ryoga murmered. "That's my fate. Akane-san, to you I   
am nothing but your little P-chan. Would you even miss Ryoga?"   
  
In the emptiness Ryoga's heartbroken sigh echoed.   
  
***   
  
Ukyou Kuonji stood in the garden with all the others gazing   
up at the swirling lights, they were so pretty. She laughed   
with the rest and for a moment forgot her troubles. She looked   
around for Ranma and saw him, on the balcony, with Akane.   
  
"Ranchan... "   
  
They were smiling, standing close, Ranma had his arm around   
Akane. Akane clutched something to her and Ranma wore a ragged   
yellow scarf around his neck, Akane's present to him.   
  
Earlier in the evening, during the party, Ukyou had drawn   
Akane aside and asked in a whisper. "Akane-chan, what did you   
get for Ranchan?"   
  
"I didn't _get_ him anything." Akane bit her lip. "I   
made him a... a scarf."   
  
"Made?" Ukyou blinked in surprise. "_You_ made something?!"   
  
Akane pulled away from Ukyou. "Hai, I... I didn't want to   
spend money on that baka-hentai!" She stomped away, a fierce   
red blush on her cheeks.   
  
Now Ukyou shook her head, trying to stop her eyes from blurring.   
Why spend money on a gift when one made with your own hands,   
one that he would know would have taken hard work no matter   
how bad it is, would mean so much more?   
  
*I was so stupid* Ukyou thought of her behaviour tonight.   
*I should never have let myself be sucked into one of Nabiki   
Tendo's scheme's, with that Chinese bimbo and that cackling   
loony around, of course things went wrong!*   
  
But she paid Nabiki to arrange some time with Ranma and she   
had been the first in line.   
  
*And did I behave myself? No, I was giggly and mooched all   
over him, trying to be the opposite of Akane and acting more   
like Shampoo than myself! Then _they_ turned up. No wonder he   
ran away from us!*   
  
Ukyou sneaked another look up and then quickly looked away and   
down at the slim parcel in her hand.   
  
*There's no _way_ I can give this to him now. This sucks, it's   
Christmas eve and I have no one share this gift with.*   
  
A high-pitched voice rang out. "Ukyou-saaammmmaaaaa!!!"   
  
*Except Tsubasa. Oh _goody_. I might as well keep it for   
myself!*   
  
Ukyou sighed and made her way towards the dojo. Time to go,   
before she made more of a jackass of herself and before   
Tsubasa tracked her down.   
  
She entered the dojo and picked up the prizes she had won in   
a couple of the contests. As she turned to go a loud, unhappy   
sigh made her pause.   
  
*Someone else feels as bad as I do?* she wondered.   
  
Ukyou looked around and spotted a figure slumped against the   
far wall radiating depression.   
  
*Ryoga... *   
  
***   
  
Ryoga wiped his eyes, sighed again and wondering if he should   
leave. At this point wandering into another place far far away   
from Nerima had a distinct charm.   
  
"Ano... Ryoga?"   
  
A soft voice made him look up. Ukyou Kuonji stood in front of   
him, a sympathetic expression on her face. Ryoga straightened   
and glared at her, he was embarrassed that she had caught him   
being so... so...   
  
"Feeling unhappy, sugar?" Ukyou's eyes held his. "Why?"   
  
"What would _you_ know?" he demanded. "You could _never_   
understand!"   
  
Ukyou tapped her foot on the floor, then paused, shrugged and   
held out a slim package tied with a ribbon. "Here. Merry   
Christmas, Ryoga Hibiki."   
  
Ryoga stared at her. "F-for me? Why?"   
  
"Cause _one_ of us should be happy tonight!" Ukyou pushed the   
present at him. "Go on. I want you to have it!"   
  
Ryoga hesitated and looked at the gift in his own hand. His   
eyes widened and he nodded. "Yes." he said to himself and   
holding out Akane's present he said. "Merry Christmas, Ukyou."   
  
She blinked and took it, depositing Ranma's gift in his hands.   
  
"You got burned too, huh?"   
  
Ryoga couldn't help smiling slightly. "Yeah."   
  
"Come on." Ukyou took his hand and led him to the stage. "The   
light is better here, I like to _see_ what I'm getting!"   
  
They sat down and carefully unwrapped the presents.   
  
Ryoga pulled out a soft white cashmere scarf. "Wow, it's really   
beautiful!" he said softly.   
  
Ukyou blushed. "Yeah? It's okay? I thought it was nice, but   
I didn't know if a guy would like it."   
  
Ryoga put it around his neck and marvelled at the softness   
of the material. "No, I think it's great. I've never owned   
_any_ clothing as nice as this."   
  
Ukyou blushed a bit more and ripped open her gift. "Oh. my."   
  
She pulled out two exquisite miniature fans, unfolding them   
she stared in amazement at the delicate painting on both.   
"Ryoga... Ryoga, this is lovely!" a tear trickled down one   
cheek. "No one's _ever_ given me _anything_ like this!"   
  
Ryoga swallowed. "I'm... I'm glad you like them."   
  
Ukyou sniffed and wiped her face. "I really do."   
  
Ryoga looked at the scarf again, blinked, and narrowed his   
eyes. "There are initials on this, 'R S'!"   
  
"Oopsie." Ukyou laughed. "I forgot about that. Just pretend   
the 'S' is a 'H'."   
  
"_Thanks_"   
  
Ukyou pulled out two stands for the fans. "Hmmm... I notice   
that 'A T' is carved on _these_!"   
  
"Eh... hehhehheh... sorry."   
  
Ukyou smiled at him. "You are such a jackass." She placed the   
fans and the stands carefully in their box and stood up.   
  
"Come on, let's go outside and rejoin the party." She held out   
her hand.   
  
Ryoga looked up at her and hesitantly took her hand. "S-sure."   
  
***   
  
Later that evening:   
  
"Hey, Ryoga!" Ranma sauntered up to Ryoga who was munching on   
a sweet dumpling. "You still here? I'd've expected you to have   
wandered away by now."   
  
Ryoga glared at him and swallowed his mouthful. "Shut up,   
Ranma." he said calmly.   
  
Ranma was surprised, no battle aura? No yelling 'Ranma-now   
-you-die'? "Who are you?" he demanded. "What have you done   
with Ryoga?"   
  
"Lay off, Ranchan." Ukyou popped out from behind Ryoga and   
placed an okonomiyaki in Ranma's hands. "It's Christmas."   
  
Ranma shrugged. Oh well, there had been enough excitement   
for one night and the okonomiyaki did look good. "Sure, Ucchan.   
Merry Christmas!" he took a bite of the okonomiyaki and glanced   
back at Ryoga. "Nice scarf, where'd you get that?"   
  
Ryoga polished off the dumpling. "It's my Christmas present."   
  
"Oh yeah? Who... "   
  
"Ranma!" Akane called from across the garden. "Dad wants to   
take some photos, get over here!"   
  
"Aw man... " Ranma gulped down the rest of the okonomiyaki and   
ran over to Akane.   
  
"Everyone please assemble for photos!" Nabiki ordered.   
  
Ryoga sighed. "Photos?"   
  
Ukyou touched his arm. "Come on, sugar, it'll be fun."   
  
Ryoga considered. "Maybe... " he touched the scarf *A Christmas   
present from... from a _friend_. You know, today hasn't been   
_that_ bad, a photo would be a nice momento* Ryoga smiled at   
her. "Let's go."   
  
Ukyou grinned back *he's kinda cute when he smiles*. "Let's."   
  
They walked over to the assembled company.   
  
***   
  
Orla's explanation:   
  
Ok, I am a BIG BIG Ryoga fan -he's soooo kawaii!- and I   
always felt _so_ bad when Akane ran past him in the   
Christmas special and he was left standing there. Anyway,   
I wanted there to be a "happy ending" for him. It would make   
_me_ feel happier! Now, I'm also a Ukyou fan and yes I   
subscribe to the belief (shared by many I've noticed!) that   
Ukyou and Ryoga would make a great couple, also she was the   
only other person I could think of to help Ryoga! So I wrote   
this fic, it's kinda cutesy, but oh well! I hope you liked it!   
  
Ooki ni! (Thanks)   
  
Orla   
  



End file.
